Circuit-controlling keyboard apparatus.



No. 836,307. PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906 P. B. DELANY. CIRCUIT CONTROLLING KEYBOARD APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.29.1904.

mi;- m A) rnrrrnn isrnrnsgna rnnr orrrcn rA'rRicK e. DELANY, OF SOUTH ceases, new JERSEY.

cascuir-oomrsorame irereoaen APPARATU$B Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20. recs.

Application filed March 29, 190 2. Serial No. 200.580.

To all whom it mavy concern.-

Be it known that I, PATRICK B. DELANY, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Orange, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Circuit-Controlling Keythat in returning ,to the startingpoint the letter would not be repeated reversely. In a pending application, SerialNo. 164,999, tiled July 10, 1903, I have shown a way of preventing such reverse formation of signals without separating the contact members. This is accomplished b electrically disconnecting or rendering ead one of thecontact members-i. (5., either the contact-finder or the series of signal-contacts over which it traverses during the return movement or to normal position. lnthe application referred to the segments or signal-contacts are made live just before the beginning of a letter and disconnected or made dead upon completion of the letter, so that in returningto the starting-point the contact-maker, although in contact with the signaling-contact, sends no impulses into the circuit 1 have now discovered that ii the speed at which the contact-maker traverses the sigrial-contacts dhring its return to normal position be sufiioiently great the apparatus or instrument connected with the signal-con tacts (either locally or at a distance) will not respond. This condition with wide margin is easily established and adjustable by adjusting the tension of the spring or other device that returns the moving contact-maker to the point from which it started upon de-v pression oi a key in the keyboard. With the usual retractile tension on a relay-armature signal passing through the relay at the rate of fifty words per minute will be plainly sounded or recorded, the rate being well within the time constant of the relay; but it the contacts are made at the rate of five hundred words per minute the relay-armature will not respond even with its finest adjustment, nor will it be actuated at a speed of two hundred words per minute. tirely feasible for perfect working to permit ,the1contact-maker to return over the same path at a speed four or five times above the responding adjustment of the armature, thus avoiding all troublesome intricacies for disengagement or disconnection between the contact-making parts. I

Transmission may be made direct from the contacts into a main circuit or into a local circuit comprising a sounder-transmitter; but a wider scope of adjustment for making transmission heavy or light is obtainable b the use of a relay of, say, one hundied and ty ohms. in the local circuit of the key-board transmitter, operating a local sounder-transmitter which sends the signals into the main circuit.

Hence it is en- The advantage of using the relay as a first local instrument is due to its comparatively high resistance, which renders it less susceptible to any slight change of conductivity between the contacting parts than an ordinary sounder would be, and for the same reason a much wider range of adjustment is afiorded, while the current power used for its actuation may be very small, reducing sparking at the contacts to a harmless degree. Furthermore, the sounderlever, working with great .positiveness and ample play, insures perfect transmission over the main circuit with any voltage necessary. By adjusting the relay up or down the sounder-transmitter is controlled for heavy or light transmission, according to the circult conditions. it will he understood also that when a local'transmitter is used in conneckeyboard-transmitter cuitcontrolled at the contacts, transmission into the main line being eiiected at the sounder armature; Fig. 3, a similar view showing a relay interposed between the con tacts and the sounder which transmits into the main line.

in Fig. 1 a is a key in the keyboard-transmitter; a), the contact-finger; c, the contact; d, main battery; c, the line, andf the distant station. The operation needs no ex lanation further than to state that when e key ire a is ressed down and the rack-bar g', carrylng ger b, is brought into gear with the constantl '-revolving toothed cylinder or wheel h t e fin or moves over contacts and sends the signa s (letter A being represented) at a rate to which the distant relay f readily responds. When 9 is released by throwing: off the latch 41 from key a, it flies back underr the tensionof spring 7' so quickly that f is un affected and its armature retracted. I

Fig. 2 shows a sounder-transmitter or circuit-controlling device 7c in local circuit of the keyboard-transmitter, the signals being sent to line when armature of It makes contact with the main battery (1 in response to the impulses of the keyboard instrument.

Fi 3 shows the use/of relay ljn the local circuit of the keyboard instrument and controlling a sounder-transmitter k in a second local circuit, which operates in the manner already described. I

The line e instead of being a main line extending to a distant receiver may be local and may contain or control devices for form:

ing or recording the signals locallyas, for instance, for the perforating of the signalsin a transmitting-tape for an automatic telegraiph system.

t will be understood that thismethod .of

signaling is not confined to the arrangement of contacts shown, but applies to any other transmitter regardless of specific operation of its contact-making parts Whether disposed in fiat plan, in sequence, or on cylinders, wheels, or sun-flowers by pins, projections,

7 se ments, or otherwise.

he several figures of the drawings show but one finger-piece or key and its associated parts. The full equipment ofkeyboard cease? will control currents inthe same main line or local circuit. I

I claim as my invention I 1. In the formation or transmission of electrical signals the'method of sending impulses at a ratewhich Will operate the receiver or electromagnetic instrument, and repeatin the impulses reversely at a rate which Wlll not operate such instrument.

2. In the formation or transmission of electrical signals the method of sending im pulses at a rate which will operate the reor primary circuit slgnals in sequence requisite for code-letters, then transmitting said signals in reverse sequence, suppressing the f reverse signals in the receiver in said local circuit and causing said receiver to repeat or relay the first transmitted signals into an other circuit.

In testimonywvhereof I have hereunto subscribed rny name.

PATRICK B. DELAN Y.

- /Vitnesses KATHARINE MAcMArroN, EDWARD C. DAvrnsoN. 

